This invention relates to an outdoor toilet system, and particularly to a toilet system having an agitator mechanism for agitating solid waste that accumulates in a collection container within the toilet.
Toilet systems having solid waste agitators are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,959 to James Albertassi and Walter O. Heinze on Jan. 2, 1979 for "Non-Polluting toilet System"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,164 to John H. Lind on Dec. 23, 1980 for "Device in a Toilet for Biological Degradation of Excrement"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,130 to Nils C. Persson on Dec. 21, 1982 for "Container for Decomposable Material such as Excrement". The present invention concerns a toilet system wherein the agitator mechanism for solid waste material is controlled by movement of an access door for the enclosure in which the toilet is located. This feature eliminates the requirement for positive physical operation of the agitator by the toilet user. Operation of the agitator mechanism is automatic.
Agitation of solid waste material in an outdoor toilet system is advantageous in that the apparent volume of a given mass of waste material is considerably reduced, such that the toilet system can accommodate a greater quantity of solid waste before required maintenance of the facility. Also, the agitation of the solid waste material hastens the chemical decomposition of the waste material by the disinfectant solution in the waste container, and reduces the air polluting effects of exposed feces.
In the preferred practice of the invention, the agitator mechanism is connected to an access door of the toilet enclosure by means of a force transmitting linkage. Each time the door is opened and closed, the linkage operates the agitator mechanism. The linkage can take various forms. In one illustrative arrangement, the linkage comprises a flexible cable trained around pulleys located within the toilet enclosure, so that one end of the cable is connected to the door and the other end of the cable is operatively connected to the agitator mechanism.
The agitator mechanism can take various forms. In one contemplated arrangement the agitator mechanism comprises a horizontal axis agitator having multiple agitator blades that move along a cylindrical bottom surface of the waste container, so that the blades stir solid waste material residing on the bottom surface.
In another form of the invention, the agitator mechanism comprises an air pump operated by the door-connected linkage. Compressed air generated by the air pump flows through a flexible air tube into an annular channel encircling the waste container. The annular channel has plural ports communicating with the container interior space at spaced locations along the channel, whereby jets of air can be simultaneously directed into the container to stir solid waste in the container.
Further features of the invention will be apparent from the attached drawings and description of illustrative embodiments of the invention.